Spencer Moore, Deputy CEO of CIMSPA explores the role of the sector workforce in addressing the nation’s biggest economic challenge.
The conversation about economic inactivity has become one of the most important in the UK today. Policy makers and, to a certain extent, the public, are starting to realise that behind the statistics and headlines lies a quieter crisis, but one that is shaping the future of business, productivity and the economy itself. There are too many people unable to work not by choice, but because their health, wellbeing and a lack of support have pushed them to the margins of working life.
The PwC Turning the Tide on Economic Inactivity report sets out the challenge pretty starkly. Since 2019, around 700,000 more working-age people have become economically inactive. That means that each month, 12,000 more people leave the labour market than return to it, which represents a steady erosion of the UK’s productive capacity. The report also found that a shocking one in ten workers is now actively considering leaving work for an extended period, while almost one in five has seriously thought about it.
When you translate these figures into business terms, the picture is frankly alarming. In its research, nearly nine in ten employers told PwC they are worried about the impact of economic inactivity, with four in five saying it is already denting productivity, and almost three-quarters reporting a direct hit on their bottom line. Skills shortages, over-stretched teams and higher recruitment costs are all symptoms of the same issue: too many people are struggling to stay healthy enough to work.
The CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025 report shows the problem from another angle. The average UK employee is now taking 9.4 days of sickness absence each year which is the highest in at least fifteen years. To put that in context, that’s roughly two working weeks per employee lost to ill health, and employers collectively are facing costs that run into the hundreds of billions when factoring in absence, presenteeism and reduced productivity.
With over 2.8 million people economically inactive specifically because of long-term health conditions, mental ill health remains the single biggest driver of long-term absence, but musculoskeletal conditions, those aches, pains and injuries which can often be linked to physical inactivity, come a close second. Many of these issues are preventable and the truth is that a large share of economic inactivity is rooted in physical inactivity.
We all know that regular movement is one of the most powerful tools we have for maintaining both physical and mental wellbeing. Active people are less likely to develop long-term conditions, more resilient to stress and more able to recover quickly from illness. Yet despite this overwhelming evidence, physical activity is still often treated as an optional wellbeing perk, something nice to have, not a core part of business and economic strategy.
It shouldn’t be. The data tells us that inactivity is draining productivity and the evidence tells us that physical activity could help reverse it. What we need now is to connect those dots – and to do so through professional, accredited expertise.
While many organisations offer activity and wellbeing initiatives, too few are underpinned by qualified guidance. Professionally recognised and accredited physical activity practitioners, those trained to design safe, effective, evidence-based programmes, represent one of the most underused assets in the UK’s fight against economic inactivity. These practitioners bring the science and the structure that ensure activity interventions don’t just feel good, but genuinely improve health outcomes.
Accredited professionals can tailor programmes to people returning from long-term absence, those living with chronic conditions or teams struggling with stress and burnout. They can align interventions with occupational health objectives and track the outcomes over time. In short, they turn “encouraging people to be active” into a measurable, strategic intervention that benefits both individuals and employers.
If we are serious about reversing economic inactivity, this is where we must focus our energy. The PwC analysis suggests that returning even a portion of those currently inactive to the labour market could generate around £29 billion in economic output. That’s not just an economic win, it’s a social one, too, because it reduces reliance on welfare and improves wellbeing across communities.
The evidence is simply overwhelming that a physically active population is more productive, more engaged and more resilient. Businesses that embed physical activity into their health strategies, guided by recognised, accredited professionals, see fewer absences, lower turnover and stronger performance. Plus on a national level, the benefits scale up to improved economic growth and reduced health inequality.
We need to stop treating physical activity as a lifestyle choice and start recognising it as a strategic imperative for business and for the economy. The professionals who deliver and oversee this work – those with recognised accreditation, professional status and a commitment to sector standards – should be seen as essential partners in building a healthier, more capable workforce.
This is not a nice to have. It’s actually plain common sense that’s hard to argue against. A stronger, more active population is not just good for individuals, it’s the foundation on which the UK’s economic recovery and future prosperity depend.